Sod-line cutter for railroads



Jan. 3, 1924.

A. J. BRANCHEAU ET AL SOD LINE CUTTER FOR RAILROADS Filed March 19, 1923 lll 'IIH H I A TTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 8, 1924.

umrau sra'ras 1,480,237 PATENT om-"icr.

ALBERT J'. BRANCHEAU AND PHILIP BOBBIE, F FLINT, MICHIGAN.

SOD-LINE CUTTER FOB RAILROADS.

Application filed March 19, 1923. Serial No. 626,019.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, ALBERT J. BRAN- CHEAU and PHILIP BODRIE, citizens of the United States, residing at Flint, county of Genesee, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Sod-Line Cutters for Railroads, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to sod line cutters for railroads and the object of the invention is to provide a device for cutting the sod at the side of a railroad track, the device being adjustable to vary the distance between the sod line and railroad track. This device is adapted for use on small cars which run on the railroad track and when the device is properly connected to the car the car is driven at the rate of four to six miles an hour in cutting the sod line. The sod line may be first cut with a plow and then by means of a harrow the weeds are killed between the sod line and the track. Another object of the invention is to provide a means for accurately setting the sod line cutter at various distances from the track. A further object of the invention is to provide a sod line cutter supported on a boom which may be easily and quickly swung out of the way or onto the car when it is necessary to remove the car from the track. These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects. are attained is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of a car provided with our improved sod line cutter.

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the boom for supporting the cutter.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing the connection of the boom to the car.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on line 4- 1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 1 a car 1 is provided adapted to ride on the rails 2. This car is preferably provided with a gasoline engine for driving the same and a series of three frame members 3, 4 and 5. An eye 6 is provided on the end of the frame member 3 and the frame member 4 is provided with a pair of spaced steel plates 7 secured thereto and extending outwardly from the side of the car as shown. The side plates 7 are each provided with a notch 8 shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The boom 9 isprovided with a pair of spaced end plates 10 adapted to fit over the plates 7 and a short stud 11 is secured between the side plates 10, the side plates 10 being also connected together at the ends by a cross piece 12. As shown in Fig. 3 the boom is inserted over the end of the plates 7 and the'stud 11 is inserted in the notches 8 at which time the boom is turned down to the position level with'the plate 7 the cross piece 12 engaging beneath the plates 7 to support the boom rigidly; in a horizontal position. One end of a brace rod 13 is secured to the extreme end of the boom 9 and the opposite end is provided with a hook 14c engaging through the eye 6 as shown in Fig. 1 to strengthen the boom. The boom is provided with a pair of slots 15 and 16 therethrough and a screw shaft 17 extends through the slots and is provided with bearings in the cross pieces 18, 19 and 20 of the boom, the portions of the'screw shaft extending through the bearings being cylindrical and notprovided with threads. A bevel gear 21 is provided on the end of the screw shaft 17 meshing with a bevel gear 22 von a short'shaft 23 rotatably mounted in a boss on one of the side members 10. A crank 24 is 'securedto the short shaft 23 and by rotation of the crank the screw shaft 17 will be rotated as will be readily. understood. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4: a nut 25 is slidably mounted in each slot 15 and '16 and the edges ofthe boom 9 about the slots provide'ways on which the said nuts may ride. The screw shaft 17 is threaded through each nut and the nut 25 in the slot 1.5 is provided with anapertured depending end 26 through which the hook end 27 of a brace rod 28 extends. The nut 25 of the slot 16 is provided with an apertured depending end 29 to which a pair of spaced bars or plates 30 are pivoted on the bolt 31. A spacer 32 is provided between the plates 30 and the threaded end of the brace rod 28 extends through the plates 30 and spacer 32 and is secured in place by the nuts 33.

in the outer end of the plates 30 is a bolt 34 and as shown in Fig. 1 thebeam 35 of'a-plow 36 entends between "these plates 30 and is pivoted on the bolt 34.

In operation the boom 9 and brace rod 13 are secured to the car as shown in Fig. 1 and by turning the craiik -i the screw shaft 17 is rotated to move the nuts 25 longitudinally of the slots 15 and 16. By this-arrangement the plow -may be positionedat any distance from the car '1 within the limits of the device. The car 1 is thenstarted and as it moves along theqplow 36 cuts the sod line, the'cut made by the plowb'eingparallel'with the rails 2. As the plates 30 are pivoted on'the bolt 31'the said plates may swing to allowthe plow to'take the same depth of cut while traveling over uneven jgroun'dfthe brace rod 28 swinging with the plates or arm 30 dueto its pivot being on the sameaxis as the fpivotof 'the arm 30. When train is coming down'the sameftrack that thefcar i's'on itis necessary to quickly removethe car and cutter from the track. This is accomplished by turning the boom up to disconnect the boom from the plates '7 at which time the boom and plow are laid on the jcar and the car'is're moved from the track. By this "arrangeinentthe device maybe quickly secured to or removed from the 'car without difficulty and provides a stron'g and rigid devicefor cutting 'the sod line. When the sod line hasbeen-cut theplow may'b'e'r'emoved and the crank 24ro'tated to bring the "nuts 25 toward the car-"atwhich time a harrow or cultivator may be connected to the bolt 3a and the groundbetween' the sod line and the track may be c'ult-ivatedor broken up to prevent growth of'weeds arid at'the same'time provide'a' neat appearance.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident "that the device is very simple and eiiicient in operation, may be easily and quickly connected to or'r'emoved'from' a car, may be'very easily'adjusted andprovides a device which accomplishes the objects described. U

Having thus fully described our invention, -its-utility and mode of operation, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a'sod line cutter for railroads, a boom adapted to be attached to the side of a railroad car to extend horizontally there from, a screw shaft carried by the boom androtatahly mounted therein, a crank for rotating the screw shaft, the boom being provided with agp'air of slots'through which one of thes'aid'nn'ts, a brace rod supporting the arm and connected to the other of said nuts, the depending end of the Said arin being adapted for the attaehmentof acutting device.

2. In '2). S06. line cutter for railroads, a boom adapted 'tobe"detachably connected to the sideofa railroad car to ei ztend'horizontally therefrom, a horizontalbrace rod connecting the end of the bo'om with the car, a screw shaft rotatably mounted in i the boom, "a pair of nuts mounted in'spja'ced'relation on the screw shaft, 'me'ans holding the nuts from rotation during rotation of the screw shaft, an arm pivotally connected to one of 'thesaitl nuts,a brace rodconnected to the etherotsaid nuts "and supporting the'said arm," the end of the said arm being adapteo for "connection to acutting device. p

3. In "a sod line cutter for railroads, a boom adapted tob'eattache'dto the '"side of a railroadcar and extending horizontally therefrom, a screw shaft carri'ed' by theboom androtatably mountedtherein, crank for rotating the screw shaft, a pair of nuts adapted to travel longitudinally of the screw shaft during rotation thereof, an arm"piv oted to oneo f said nuts, "a brace rod connectedtothe other nut'a'nd supportingthe said arm, and "a cutting device pivotally connected tothe lowerend'of the said am.

In a sod cutting device for railroads,a boomadaptedfto be attached to arailroaol car and extending'horizontally therefr'om,"a screw shaft carried by the boom and rotat'ably mounted therein, crank for rotating the screw shaft, a'n'ut adapted to'trav'el longitudinally of the screw "shaft during rotationthereo'flan arm pivoted to the said nut,"anda'cutting device pivoted tOthe' said arm.

In testimony whereof, we sign this "specification. W h p I ALBERT J. QBRANCHEAlU. PHILIP BGDltliE. 

